Mail-bag catcher.



I c. 0. BROWN.

MAILZBAGCATCHEB.

APPLICATION FILED QCT 281 1918'.

1297,0179. Patented 111111 11, 1919.

Kama wi awy UNITED sTATns CEZAZRJILEZS 0. BROWN, OF HORSE CAVE, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-BAG oarcnnn.

Application filed. October 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CI-rARLns C. BROWN, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Horse Cave, in the county of Hart and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers, of" which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved mail bag catcher for use in the door of a mail car for catching mail bags as the car passes stations, the object of the invention being to provide an improved device of this kind embodying a crane, means to hold the crane in position to catch and means operated by a mail sack on the crane to hold the mail sack on the crane, and to release the crane holding means and thereby cause the crane to drop to initial position and avoid the necessity. of manually operating the crane so that the mail clerk can attend to his other duties.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a mail car provided with a mail bag catcher constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention, and showing the crane in initial inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the crane in set position ready to catch a mail bag. v

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1. r

The mail bag catching crane 1 comprises a rock shaft 2 which extends across the doorway 3 of a mail car and is mounted at its ends in bearings 4. The arm 5 of the crane extends at a suitable angle from the rock shaft and is connected thereto at one end as at 6.

On the outer side of the rock shaft is a spring detent 7 which is secured to the rock shaft at one end, as at 8, and which is ar-.

ranged at an angle to therockshaft' and" extends toward the crotch of the crane and also out ard y ard t e crane arm 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919. 1918. Serial No. 260,043.

Said spring detent has an arm 10 which extends inwardly therefrom over the rock shaft and is provided at its inner end with a downwardly turned flange 11. A stud 12 projects from the inner side of the rock shaft and is arranged below the flange 11.

A supporting arm 13 is pivoted as at 14: at one end to a bracket 15 which is secured in one side of the doorway, said arm being thus arranged for swinging movement and being adapted to bear on the stop stud 12 of the rock shaft to hold the crane in horizontal position and with its arm 5 extending outwardly from the car to catch a mail bag. As the car passes a station at which the mail bag is suspended the ring of the mail bag is caught by the crane arm 5 and passes longitudinally on said arm to the crotch of the crane and as it does so the detent 7 is engaged behind the ring, thus preventing the mail bag from dropping from the crane and at the same time the detent is moved inwardly, thus causing its arm 10 and flange 11 to push the stop arm 13 from the stop stud 12, thus entirely releasing the crane so that the latter turns downwardly to its normal position and is caused to lie close to the side of the car. The mail bag can then be removed from the crane by the operator.

It will be understood that my improved mail bag catcher requires no further attention on the part of the operator after it has once been set as the operation of catching the mail bag and of releasing and causing the crane to drop is entirely automatic.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I would have it understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion and construction of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claim.

- Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A mail bag catcher of the class described, comprising a rock shaft mounted in bearings extending across the door of a mail car and provided'with a crane arm extending outwardly and longitudinally therefrom, said rock shaft having an inwardly extending stop stud, a spring detent secured at one position, said detent and its arm serving to end to the rock shaft, extending therefrom disengage said supporting arm from the stop toward the crane arm and provided with an stud when the detent is engaged by a mail 10 inwardly extending arm, and a supporting bag caught on the crane arm.

arm pivotaily mounted in one side of a door- In testimony whereof I a'fiix my signature. Way and arranged to bear on the stop stud of the rock shaft when the crane is in set CHARLES C. BROTVN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

